Originally published in the March 2020 issue of San Diego CityBeat
In November of 1989, the first phase of the San Diego Convention Center had just been completed and Navy Pier was still bustling. The next month, The Fish Market opened its doors nearby on the Embarcadero, starting a thirty year legacy. Dwight Colton, Vice President of Operations at The Fish Market, reflects back on those first days, “When we opened in 1989, San Diego and the Embarcadero were very different than they are today. The Navy Pier was still active with supply and refueling ships stationed there. The skyline had only a handful of high-rise buildings and there were no condo towers to be seen.”
Fred Duckett, along with co-founder Bob Wilson, began the restaurant as a hobby, an outlet for Duckett’s love of harpooning California Swordfish. They brought on Dean Betts, a fish cook who still prefers not to be called “chef,” and former boat captain John Freis to help manage the operation.
Another original Fish Market employee still with the restaurant is Fishmonger Darren Gorski, who cultivates relationships with the fishermen to get the best catch for the restaurant. Colton shares, “Darren is the heart and soul of our retail seafood operation. He has had a lifelong connection with fishing, growing up on the Jersey Shore and working charter boats before relocating to San Diego to do more of the same. I like to say that Darren has forgotten more about seafood than I will ever know.”
The Fish Market culinary signature is fresh, sustainable seafood prepared simply. Their original mesquite grilled fish is what made them famous, charcoal burning hot to sear in the flavor and moisture. Shawn Bell, who joined The Fish Market as Food and Beverage Director just over a year ago, is adding new dishes to the beloved classics, introducing menu items such as a yellowfin tuna Poke Bowl, a Panang Curry, and a scallop succotash entrée.
Upstairs at Top of the Market, Executive Chef Jeremy Loomis elevates the fresh seafood with innovative flavors. “The pillars of the modern experience Executive Chef Loomis provides are the use of unique, seasonal produce, a scratch approach to preparation, and a willingness to utilize a variety of cultural styles,” Colton describes. “For example, he sourced lobster mushrooms for a play on our seafood-forward cuisine with a non-seafood item. He orders the steaks we serve as whole cuts and breaks them down in-house, just like our seafood, to ensure he gets the exact specifications he’s seeking.”
At Top of the Market, try the Wild Skull Island Tiger Prawns, which he serves with a full flavored kimchi fried rice, Chinese sausage, and a poached egg. Don’t miss the raw bar, showcasing their fresh catch like raw oysters and crudos. The Tuna Crudo combines tender ahi with chili-lime vinaigrette to amplify the flavor and crispy quinoa to add crunch.
The Local Drop Buoy Caught Swordfish stands out on the entrée menu; the steak of meaty, mild white fish served with fregola pasta. The drop buoy method of catching swordfish is just one example of some of the sustainable practices that The Fish Market likes to encourage. Traditionally, swordfish were individually harpooned, just like Fish Market founder Fred Duckett grew up with. But as the industry turned to capturing swordfish with mile-long nets for efficiency, the bycatch increased substantially. The drop buoy method reduces bycatch while also improving the end quality, since each swordfish can be put on ice within minutes of being caught.
While new dishes and concepts keep the menu dynamic, the core of the concept remains that dedicated fishermen are serving up seafood they feel a connection to. Colton shares, “We live for the entire experience. Our founders’ roots are as fishermen and we still have fishermen who work in the restaurant, whether that be a service team member who gets out there with line and reel for fun, or market managers have worked on boats themselves. We ask these questions when we hire and for great applicants that don’t already have seafood in their blood, we train it. Our training can be six weeks to three months long, depending on the position. Our servers learn where our seafood comes from, what makes ours the best and even how to cook it properly. It’s not enough for them to put it on the table, they have to know what the team behind the grill does to make it perfect. Every staff member attends classes where they taste different species and learn to recognize the differences – including hosts and dishwashers. We are a place you can come to get your questions about seafood answered, not just a place that sells seafood.”
The Fish Market
750 N Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA
(619) 232-3474
